Onaji Desu
by Shunyata Ryuen
Summary: Life is quiet and boring...until a strange transfer student shows up in school, one with whom Ryuen feels a strange, echoing familiarity. And, somehow...even in a different life...it's still the same. [A Nuriko/Hotohori reincarnation fic in the real wor
1. Default Chapter

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DISCLAIMER:Not mine.Ah, but not yours, either.Nyeh, nyeh, nyeh.

*NOTES: [1] Reincarnation fic- real world.[2] Main characters are Nuriko and Hotohori, and this will most likely eventually be shounen ai.If this offends you...well, then you're probably on your way to hitting the back button right now, so never mind.Hrmph. [3] The title, in case you're wondering, translates to mean, "It's still the same." 

"Onaji Desu"

by Ryuen

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_Chou Ryuen_, he scrawled._Chou Ryuen.Chou Ryuen.Chou Ryuuuuuuuuen._He sighed._Chou Ryuen is damned bored._

"Chou!"  
The deep, authoritative bass snapped him from his daydreams, sent his head flying up from the pillow of his arm, his pencil slamming back onto its side on the desktop.He blinked, suddenly realized that nearly every eye in the classroom was fixed on him...great.Just what this day needed.Notoriety.He sighed."Hai?"  
Sensei glared down at him, tapped a pen irritably against the stubble of his chin."I believe I asked you a question," he grunted, clearing his throat as if the sound would somehow jar his memory."Well, Chou?Do you have an answer for us...or, shall I call on someone else...again?"

He debated for a moment.If he deferred, again, to someone else, it would be the sixth time he'd done so in the last two days...and, gah, Sensei didn't look happy as it was...Hoping for some inspiration, he glanced up at the board, spent a few tense seconds squinting at the sharp, angry scratches of yellow chalk--something about ancient world religions, worship of the heavens, worship of the stars...gods, how was he supposed to know what answer Sensei wanted??He was just opening his mouth, preparing to tell the impatient-looking man that--once again--he was going to have to call on someone else...but, just then, a soft tapping sound caught his attention.The moment he shifted his gaze, the sound ceased...but, he knew where it had come from.That boy...the new transfer student...he was sitting in the chair just in front and to the left of his, had been tapping his pen lightly against the desk to catch his attention.And, now that it was caught...Ryuen strained his eyes, tried to look as if he was merely deep in thought for Sensei's benefit.He squinted...and watched, startled, as the boy shifted his paper a bit, tapped the pen lightly against the table...and that was when he saw it.There, scrawled in the bottom margin in clear, legible handwriting, were the words, _Ancient China._He'd only just managed to read the cryptic message when, just as abruptly as they'd appeared, the words were covered by a slim, tanned hand.

Startled but thankful, Ryuen turned back to the figure eying him darkly, smiled."Ancient China," he said softly."The answer is Ancient China."  
Sensei, who had been staring vaguely at the back wall trying not to yawn, abruptly shifted his attention, stared down at him in some strange hybrid of shock and fear."W-What did you say, Chou?"  
He hesitated for a moment, wondering if perhaps the new boy had purposely given him a wrong answer...but, why go to all this trouble, when he was already this far on the road to humiliation?No...no, it was right...he knew it."Ancient China," he repeated in a stronger voice. 

Sensei let out a startled breath of air, straightened and began to walk back towards his desk."Good God," he murmured."I think we have a first.Chou...Ancient China is, indeed, correct.Well done."  


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His feet thudded against the cool marble, echoed loudly through the mostly-empty corridors."Hey!" he called."Hey, wait up!"  
Long chestnut hair hanging down his back in a simple ponytail, the eighteen-year-old came to a slow halt in the middle of the hallway, turned towards the approaching footsteps. Clad in the typical white dress shirt and dark slacks of his school uniform, the boy still somehow managed to look almost exotic, and now that Ryuen drew close enough to see his face...he skidded to a stop, felt the blood rushing to his cheeks.Mattaku, he was...he was...gorgeous!The boy was staring at him now, those soft, liquid amber eyes blinking at him questioningly, those thin pink lips turned slightly upwards in wondering...For a long moment, he felt all reason and intelligence flee from his lips, had the sudden impulse to say nothing at all, to merely stand there and stare...but then, rather quickly, he regained control of himself, cleared his throat as if to signal his return to sanity and sense.

"K...Konnichiwa," he managed."I, uh...I just wanted to ask you..."He cleared his throat again, struggled for the words...gah, he'd had them just a few moments ago...ah, right!Of course..."I just wanted to ask you," he repeated quickly, "why you gave me that answer today...I mean, I appreciate it, of course...but...well, why?"  
The boy shrugged, slipped his hands into the pockets of his pants and began to walk. "I don't know," he answered simply."It seemed like you needed it."

Taking a few hurried steps to keep up with the boy, Ryuen readjusted his grip on the shoulder strap of his bookbag, smiled slightly."Well...hai, I did need it...but...why'd you do it?I mean...why _me_?"

The question seemed to take the boy by surprise.He came to a halt in the center of the hallway, frowned.The expression formed a thin crease in the smooth skin of his forehead, made his lips bend very gently downwards."I don't know," he murmured, sounding vaguely confused."I don't...I don't even know you..."

For a long moment, he stared up into those soft amber eyes, let that warm, exotic beauty sweep him up into its embrace...and then, he offered a wide, genuine smile, lifted a slim hand."I'm Chou Ryuen," he said.He let his small, slim-fingered hand be wrapped up in the blanketing warmth of the other boy's hand, felt a tingle of familiarity rush up his spine, tingle at the back of his mind. He frowned.

Noting the expression, the other boy matched the frown, nodded slightly.He did not take his hand away."Seishuku Saihitei," he replied softly."Demo...it feels as if...as if..."  
"As if we've met before," Ryuen finished quietly."Hai.I...I get that feeling, too."

Saihitei shook his head slightly, finally withdrew his hand and slid it back into the safety of his pocket."Strange," he murmured.Then, he shrugged his broad shoulders, started, again, to walk down the hallway.Not quite sure of what else to do, Ryuen followed, feeling rather like a puppy nipping at its master's heels.

For a long time, they walked in a strange, companionable silence...and then, Saihitei turned slightly, glanced down at him with a slim smile."You know," he said slowly, "you should've been paying attention in class today.It was really pretty interesting.All about ancient religions, worship of gods, stars...very interesting."  
Ryuen scrunched up his nose."I couldn't've paid attention even if I'd wanted to.It's been too long, listening to him..."He smirked."Don't worry, you'll get sick of him soon enough.That voice...ugh.It's like listening to heavy machinery teaching sociology."  
The taller boy raised an eyebrow, smiled slightly. "Heavy machinery?" he echoed carefully. "I didn't think it was _that_ bad..."The words trailed off...and then, he shrugged, smiled again."What do your friends call you?"  
Startled by the sudden subject change, Ryuen blinked, spent a long moment sputtering for words."Uhh..most people just call me 'Ryuen,' but my little sister calls m--"He broke off very suddenly, felt a deep blush creeping into his cheeks."G-Gomen.What I meant was...just call me 'Ryuen.'"  
Saihitei blinked."Hm?What does your little sister call you?"  
Ryuen let out a low, tortured groan."Iie, onegai.Don't ask..."  
The boy smiled."Now, you've got me curious.Come on...I won't laugh.I promise."

Peeking out from beneath the hand hiding his face, Ryuen let out a heavy breath of air, slumped slightly as he walked."She...she calls me..."  
"She calls you..."  
He winced."Nuri-chan."  
"Nuri...chan?"Saihitei shook his head slightly, offered a small, confused smile."Why on earth does she call you that?"  
Another groan fled his lips."It's a long...long story..."  
"Oh?How long?"  
"Long.Very, very long.So long...you'd forget what I was talking about by the time I finished it."  
Saihitei smiled."Where do you live?"  
"Uhh...a-a few blocks away...on Sakura Street..."

"Ah, honto ni?Do you know the brick house at the end of Sakura?"

"Hai, of course--the one that was just sold.It's right--"He broke off, felt his eyes widen. "Right next to mine...gaaah!W-W-We're...we're..."

Again, that soft, gentle smile twisted onto the taller boy's lips."Next door neighbors," he murmured. "How...strange."

Ryuen let out an exasperated sigh, pressed a slim hand against his forehead."Mattaku," he breathed."This is very...very...weird."

"Hai.Demo...since we _are_ neighbors..."He trailed off, offered a thin smile."Perhaps you could help me find my way back home?I wouldn't ask, except...well, there's something about getting lost in Tokyo that doesn't appeal to me all that much..."  
Ryuen smiled.The tension melted from his muscles, left him warm and contented in the soft wash of this new, strange friendship.Okay, so it was weird.Okay...so, he was more attracted to this beautiful transfer student than he'd ever been to any girl in his entire life. So what?Whatever the why, he and Saihitei had been brought together for a reason, right??It...it couldn't _all_ be chance, could it?Iie, of course not.So...why not go with it?"Hai," he agreed softly."I'd be glad to...walk home with you, Saihitei.I--"He stopped, frowned."Saihitei," he repeated, testing the word."Sai...hitei..."  
The taller boy frowned."N...Nani?"  
"Saihitei," he said again."Too long...does anyone ever call you 'Sai?'"  
The chestnut-haired student blinked in surprise."Not...really..."  
Ryuen grinned, stretched forward a slim hand and shoved open the school's front door, letting in a warm wash of spring sunshine."Great," he said, genuine pleasure touching at his words."Let's go...Sai.And, ne...if you really wanna know...I'll tell you the story about my nickname while we're walking.If you really wanna know, of course."

"Hai, I'd like to know."

"Okay.Don't blame me if I bore you to death, though."He pushed the door the rest of the way open, walked out onto the grey concrete and waited.After only a slight, searching pause, Saihitei drew in a soft breath and also stepped out into the sunlight.

"This really is strange," the dark-haired boy murmured after a moment, staring down at him with such an intense look of puzzlement that he felt his cheeks warming again.Seemingly noticing the sudden rush of color, the taller boy looked away, started off down the sidewalk without so much as another word.After a few moments of kicking himself mentally and wondering--absently, of course--if Saihitei might also be slightly less than straight, Ryuen let out a soft sigh and followed.

No.Saihitei was too gorgeous to be okama.He smiled wistfully, admiring the soft, silken chestnut hair, the broad, muscled shoulders...the graceful, princely walk.Too bad.

Definitely...definitely too bad.

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*AN:Not sure if I like this fic yet or not...so, let me know what you think.Is it worth continuing?Inquiring minds want to know.Arrigato.^_^.-Ryuen


	2. Chapter 2

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onaji desu...continued from part I

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He'd been fully intending to speak during the long walk home--after all, Saihitei had seemed interested in hearing what he had to say, and even if it wasn't the type of subject he enjoyed talking about for long periods of time, it was still conversation...gods.Conversation with the most beautiful creature he'd ever had the pleasure and misery of laying eyes on in his life--that smooth, bronzed skin, that silken chestnut hair, those broad, muscled shoulders...that strange, powerful grace...He'd wanted to speak to this boy very much, to laugh with him, see him smile...but, now that he was here with him, now that they were trekking side by side down the cracked sidewalk...he found that his vocal chords seemed stubbornly unwilling to cooperate.His tongue lay heavily in his mouth, and the words swirled maddeningly in his brain, refused to settle into something resembling a working order...

The other didn't seem to notice, however, seeming to be rather caught up in savoring the warm flood of afternoon sunlight, in taking in the peaceful suburban scenery...but, it would only be a matter of time until the taller man expected him to say something...and, then what was he going to do?He'd never experienced this kind of suffocating vocal paralysis before, wondered for a moment if he would ever be able to find the will to speak again...was this what love did to a person?

He caught the thought almost before it completed itself, felt a sharp, icy jolt shudder up his spine._Love?! _he demanded silently, eyes going wide with something very akin to panic._Love??What the hell is wrong with you, Ryuen??Mattaku, you've only known him for a few HOURS!_ _Baka._

He felt the weight of the other man's stare on him, turned his eyes almost guiltily towards that soft amber gaze."Ryuen?" Saihitei questioned, sounding a bit uncertain."Are you all right?"

He forced himself to swallow, smile, try to regain the will to speak. "H-Hai," he managed, a bit surprised by how high and light his voice was, how much like his sister's voice...gods. Just what he needed.Sounding like a girl when he got flustered...He forced his voice to return to its normal octaves, cleared his throat."I-I mean...gomen...I was thinking..."Why was he having such trouble speaking all of a sudden??Why were his muscles frozen like this, his mind so strangely blank...his entire body tense with anxiety?He hadn't felt this before, when he met this boy...so, why was it hitting him now?Delayed reaction?Gods, what was wrong with him??Why couldn't he just carry on a normal conversation?

He drew in a deep, determined breath, opened his mouth with the full intention of saying something...but, before he could, he became aware of a loud, braying honking sound, coming from very nearby...he frowned, turned towards the sound...and gasped as a heavy weight slammed into his chest, sent him flying onto his back on the ground.He closed his eyes in brief pain, spent a long moment wondering if perhaps God was trying to strike him dead for daring to have such feelings for this boy...but, then, he heard a soft giggle from just above him, opened his eyes and found himself gazing up into a well of bright, glittering green.

He smiled despite himself, somehow lifted himself into a sitting position and wrapped his arms around the girl, dragging her into a quick hug."Miaka!" he exclaimed."When'd you get back?"

The girl disentangled herself from her arms, sat back and smoothed a bit at the fabric of her skirt."Just last night," she bubbled."Ne, N--Ryuen, it was great!!Taka took me to a carnival and won me a stuffed bear and there was so much to eat and I could hardly move by the end of the night and I--"She broke off for a moment, took a breath...and then, rather suddenly, seemed to notice the tall man standing just above them, peering down at them with a curious, thoughtful frown.  
Miaka leapt to her feet, a wide smile spreading over her face."Hotoh--"She broke off very suddenly, blushed."Ahhh...I mean..."She glanced down at the violet-haired boy, smiled a bit shyly."I-I mean...who is this?"

Frowning a bit at the girl's strange reaction, Ryuen drew himself back up to his full height, still moving a bit stiffly from Miaka's glomp, and offered Saihitei a brief, apologetic smile."Miaka...this is Saihitei.Sai...this is--"  
"Yuuki Miaka!" she interjected enthusiastically, holding out a slim hand in greeting.

Looking a bit uncertain but smiling, softly, Saihitei stretched out his own hand, wrapped his long fingers over Miaka's smaller ones."It's nice to meet you," he offered formally, the smile lifting a bit, softening.Once Miaka released his hand, the three began to walk, moving at a slow, comfortable pace down the sidewalk.Almost immediately, the tallest of them turned to Miaka, offered her a warm smile."Have you and Ryuen been friends for a long time?" 

Miaka nodded, grinning."Hai.A long time."

Ryuen made a face."Ne, not _that_ long, baka.Only a year or two."  
"Aa," Miaka agreed, her voice uncharacteristically soft."But, it feels like a lot longer."She seemed to exist in the solemn moment for a few seconds...and then, abruptly, she brightened, let out a low squeal."Ne, but I'm so glad to be back!I can't wait to sleep in my own bed again..."  
"I'm sure Taka's looking forward to the same thing," Ryuen murmured, grinning wickedly.

Miaka flushed a dark red, looked away."Iie, it's not like that."She smiled."Or...at least not yet.We want to get married first."  
"Miaka?"  
Startled from the comfortable rhythm of their conversation by Saihitei's low, polite tones, the two turned, regarded him as if just now remembering he stood there."Ah, gomen ne, Hoto--err, Saihitei!" Miaka exclaimed."I didn't mean to ignore you!"

Saihitei offered a slight smile, his brow creasing slightly at the girl's words."Iie...it's all right.But..."He frowned."What is it you keep almost calling me?Hoto-something...?"

Miaka paled."Uhhh...it's nothing, really!You just...you just look like someone I used to know...that's all."She managed a weak smile."Gomen..."  
Ryuen joined in the frown."Ne...I thought _I_ looked like someone you used to know, too."His face darkened, and he glanced towards Saihitei with a conspiratorial grin."It's her fault my sister came up with that nickname, you know."He smiled wickedly."Ne, maybe we should start calling you 'Hoto-chan...'"  
Miaka choked.

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*AN:Now, technically, if Nuriko and Hotohori had been reborn, they would have to start as infants and work their way up to being Miaka's age, of course, but let's just say for the sake of plot that they did a Taka and are now around the age they were in the series.Hai?Hai.*firm nod*


End file.
